The High King
by Keketra
Summary: A nod. A smile. That was all it took for them to be convinced. The High King was fine, for of course, he was magnificent. A nod, a smile. That was all it took. MAJOR Character death!
1. A Nod, A Smile

**The High King of Narnia**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, nor Peter. I have a feeling he'd be very scared of me if I did... **

He ran a hand over the marble. Musing, thinking. A weary smile managed to grace his lips, if only for a second. If Edmund were here, he'd say that it were a sign of bad things. If Peter were thinking, what else could he be thinking but bad things? He did not know how true that was. If he had, perhaps Peter would not be alone at this moment in time. Alone in the throne room, how could one possibly come to harm? There were guards, as always, scattered around outside, but what was to stop something happening _inside._

A nod. A smile. That was all it took for them to be convinced. The High King was fine, for of course, he was _magnificent_. A nod, a smile. That was all it took. And they forgot. They forgot the human behind the crown. They forgot the boy behind the monarch. They forgot.

"Aslan forgive me." Peter murmured, sinking onto the ground. "I know not what I do yet still I do it." Without a single moments thought the High King placed his blade upon his chest, and let himself fall.

It was Edmund who found him. Searching the castle for his elder brother, Edmund had decided as a last moment decision to check the throne room. Peter wouldn't be in there, he thought, but it was worth checking. Upon opening the door though, his heart froze, his eyes trained on the scene ahead of him.

His older brother lay sprawled, prostrate, on the steps to the thrones, his sword run through his chest. Edmund gave a cry and ran forward. Bile ran to his throat as he realised that Peter was not breathing – not that he'd expected him to live. The blood from his brother's wound was seeping, making a straight line through the court. Edmund swallowed as he sank to his brother's side and wept. "Peter…"

**A/N: okay, what do you think? This idea just came to me so I went with it... let me know!**


	2. Child At Heart?

**The High King**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia... it all belongs to CS Lewis**

**A/N: Wow... this was going to be a oneshot, but people seemed interested, so I continued!**

**Bethany Camille: Moi? Meddle with Peter? No idea what you mean... (lol). **

**Cloudy Glass: wow, thankyou! Hope you enjoy the next chapter...**

**Outlaw Author: lol! Okay, okay, here's the next chapter! ;) may it answer your questions... lol. Thankyou though! Glad you like :)**

Chapter One

The court would not believe it when Edmund told them their King had died. Nor would they believe him when he told them that Peter, High King over all Kings, had commited suicide. No one could find a reason for Peter's death. He was such a happy person, they all said. So full of joy, of life. A little overbearing and over wary sometimes, but still a child at heart. As he was, he was still in his twenties. Ironically, his twenty-forth birthday would be coming up soon. They had planned a celebration, but it seemed as though the celebration wouldn't be needed now. Confused murmurs ran about the court as rumours of conspiricies and murder ran amock. The High King's siblings did nothing to ward off these theories, rumours. They were still in shock. Only one among them knew of a single reason why Peter might have done as he had.

Lucy had met the woman Peter had fallen in love with only once; by accident. Her brother had been strolling with his beloved in the gardens of Cair Paravel when Lucy stumbled upon them, quite by accident. With a smile, Peter had introduced Lucy to Arabella. Lucy had found the woman charming, and it was obvious her brother was madly in love. WHen she finally got him alone that night after their duties at the Cair were through, he confessed to her, making her promise not to tell Susan or Edmund just yet. He would do that in his own time, he said. Besides, matters in Narnia were far too complex to introduce the woman who might become his future Queen just yet.

So Lucy stayed quiet, filled with joy for her older brother. And when Peter came into court once, beaming, she pulled him aside. When he told her that Arabella was pregnant, she was ecstatic. They quickly had to hush their conversation as Susan and Edmund came into the bedroom for their nightly discussions over that day's events. Peter once again made Lucy promise not to say anything as soon as the other two had gone back to their own quarters. Lucy had nodded, with a smile, and hugged her brother tightly before leaving, practically skipping down the hallway.

When Lucy had been told by a shaking Edmund that her older brother was dead, one thought flashed through her mind; something must have happened to either Arabella or the baby. She'd run to the lady's quarters, for Peter had managed to find her a place to stay within the Castle without it seeming conspicuous. When she got there, she was met with a sobbing Arabella.

It took some time, but after accepting that her lover was dead, the woman told Lucy the horrible truth. She had gone into early labour and lost the baby in childbirth. When she told Lucy that Peter would have had a son, Lucy suddenly understood. Peter had wanted children since he became old enough to entertain the thought seriously. When other members of the Court, or other members of other Courts came and asked for his hand, he politely declined every one of them, saying he'd know the one when he saw her. Apparently Arabella had been that one.

Something still did not make sense to Lucy, though. Why would Peter commit suicide, even if he had lost his son? Surely, in time, that wound would heal, and perhaps he and Arabella could reinstate their love and try again. But alas, apparently, that was not how it was to be. Arabella confided to Lucy - in tears - that she had ended things with Peter, saying that she had told him she needed space, time to get over their son's death.

Things became horribly clear to Lucy. It would take the strongest of men to first accept the passing of their first born, and then be left to deal with the burden of his passing on their own. Lucy had backed out of the room silently, moving back to where her greiving siblings sat in Peter's quarters.

She had told no one of Peter's secret relationship, or his dead son. It still remained a secret as the rumours ran about the court. Looking at Peter's body where it lay now, Lucy wondered whether she'd done aright.

**A/N: okay, what did you think? Little too predictable, or not? Let me know!!**


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